2 Timothy

 

1   Paulus, an ambassador of Yeshua the Anointed, through the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Anointed Yeshua.

   To Timotheos, my beloved child.

   Grace, mercy, and peace from God the father and Anointed Yeshua our lord.

   I thank God, whom I serve from my fathers with a clear conscience, as I incessantly have remembrance of you in my petitions, night and day, longing to see you, having been reminded of your tears, so that I may be filled with joy, receiving reminders of the genuine faith which is in you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and also in your mother Eunike, and I have been persuaded, is also in you.

   For this reason, I remind you to rekindle the endowment^a of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God didn’t give us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

   Therefore, don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the good news, according to the power of God, who saved us, and who called us to a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Anointed Yeshua before times everlasting, and has been made manifest now through the appearance of our saviour, Yeshua the Anointed, who indeed nullified death, and brought life and incorruption to light through the good news, into which I was placed as a proclaimer, and an ambassador, and a teacher of the nations, for which reason I also suffer these things. But I’m not ashamed, for I know in whom I’ve trusted, and I’m persuaded that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

   Have a pattern of sound messages, which you heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Anointed Yeshua. Guard the good thing, entrusted to you through the holy spirit who dwells among us.

   You know that all those in the province of Asia have turned away from me, including Phygellus and Hermogenes.

   May the lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he refreshed me many times and wasn’t ashamed of my chain, but, being in Rome, he earnestly sought me out and found me. May the lord grant him to find mercy alongside the lord in that day. And you perceive better than me how much he served in Ephesus.

2   You then, my child, be empowered in the grace that is in Anointed Yeshua. And the things which you heard from me, along with many witnesses - commit these things to faithful people who will also be competent^a to teach others. You then, suffer as a good soldier of Yeshua the Anointed. Nobody doing military service entangles themselves in the affairs of life, (in order to please the one who enlisted them). And if anyone competes, they aren’t crowned^b unless they compete within the rules. The labouring farmer must be first to partake of the produce. Consider what I say, for the lord may give you understanding in all things.

   Recall Yeshua the Anointed, raised from the dead, of the seed of David, in accordance with my good news, in which I suffer, even to the point of bonds like a criminal, but the message of God hasn’t been bound. Because of this I endure all things, because of the selected, and so that they themselves might obtain their salvation, which is in Anointed Yeshua with everlasting glory.

   This is a trustworthy saying, “For if we died together, we will also live together. And if we endure, we will reign together. If we disown, then he will disown us. If we are untrusting, he remains trustworthy, for he isn’t able to disown himself.” Remind them of these things, earnestly pleading with them in the sight of the lord, not to be warring about words, which results in nothing useful, to the subversion of those who hear.

   Be diligent to present yourself approved by God, a worker having no cause for shame, cutting the message of truth in a straight line. But give a wide berth to profane idle talk, for it will lead to further ungodliness and their message will spread like gangrene. Hymeneus and Philetus are among them, who have missed the mark concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and upsetting the faith of some. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God has stood, having this seal, “The Lord perceives those who are his”, and, “Let the one who names the name of the lord stay away from unrighteousness.”

   In a great house there aren’t only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthenware. Some indeed for honour, but some for dishonour. If then, anyone cleans themselves out from these, they will be a vessel for honour, having been made holy and useful to the owner, having been made ready for every good work. And flee youthful desires, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the lord from a clean heart. And excuse yourself from foolish and uneducated meaningless questions, knowing that they give birth to quarrels. And a slave of the lord must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, good at teaching, forbearing, educating those who oppose with gentleness, for perhaps God may give them repentance, leading to recognition of the truth, and they will sober up from the trap of Diabolos^c, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

3   But perceive this, that in the last days there will be difficult times. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, speakers of evil, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, wild, not loving goodness, betrayers, reckless, conceited^a, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a resemblance of devoutness but disowning its power.

   Turn away from these. For from these are those who slip into the houses and take foolish women captive, having been heaped with sins, being led by various desires, always learning but never able to come into a recognition of the truth. In the same manner that Yannes and Yambres opposed Moses, these are also opposing the truth, people with destroyed minds, not standing the test concerning the faith. But they won’t advance any further, because their lack of understanding will be obvious to all, as that of those men became.

   But you, you have closely followed my teaching, my leading, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance, my persecutions, my sufferings, which happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra - what persecutions I bore! And the lord rescued me from all of them.

   And all those who want to live devoutly in Anointed Yeshua will be persecuted. But wicked people and sorcerers will go from bad to worse, leading astray and being led astray. But you, remain in what you have learned and were entrusted with, knowing from whom you learned it, and because you have known the sacred writings since you were a baby, which are able to make you wise regarding salvation, through faith in Anointed Yeshua. All the writing is God breathed, and beneficial for teaching, for conviction, for correcting, and for training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be complete, having been thoroughly prepared for every good work.

4   So then, I am earnestly pleading, in the sight of God and the lord Yeshua the Anointed, who is about to judge the living and the dead, by his appearing and by his kingdom. Proclaim the message, be at hand, opportunely and inopportunely, expose, rebuke, entreat, with all patience and teaching. For a time is coming when sound teaching won’t be tolerated, but according to their own desires they will heap up teachers to themselves who tickle their ears. And indeed, they will turn away from hearing the truth, and they will be turned aside to stories.

   But you, be sober in all things, suffer, do the work of a good news bringer, fulfil your service. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my release is at hand. I have contended the good contest, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is a wreath of righteousness laid away for me, which the lord, the righteous judge, will give to me in that day. And not only to me, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

   Be diligent to come to me quickly, for Demas has abandoned me, having loved the current age, and gone to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Loukas is with me. Take Markos and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for the service. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. Bring the cloak which I left behind with Carpus in Troas, along with the scrolls, especially the parchments.

   Alexandros the coppersmith did many evil things to me. May the lord repay him according to his works. Be on guard with him, for he has strongly resisted our message.

   At my first defence nobody stood beside me, but all abandoned me. May it not be counted against them. But the lord stood beside me and empowered me, so that through me the proclamation might be fulfilled, and all the nations should hear. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. And the lord will rescue me from every wicked work, and he will save me into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory into the ages of the ages.

   Amen^a.

   Greet Priska and Akulas, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained in Corinth. But I left Trophimus behind in Miletus, ill. Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as do Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brothers. The lord Yeshua the Anointed is with your spirit. Grace is with you.

   Amen^a.